Girdle



Nov. 16, 1943. l.. J. A; AMYoT 2,334,529

GIRDLE med oct. v, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 Elm ' www@ ATTORNEYS PatentedNov. 16, 1943 '2,334,529r4 Y "vLouis'L A. ih nyot.,` Quebec', Quebec,Canada! 4 Appiieaiinvoemter 7, 1941 serial No. 41f4 ,02.a- (c1. z :ss)

"f2 claims.

This invention relates to girdles and has, for its principal object, theprovision of improved means for stiiening the upper edge of a girdleagainst permanent curling or rolling.

Another object is the provision of a girdle in which the stiffeningmeans is arranged so as to prevent the formation of a definite fold linebetween the stifened and unstiffened portions of the girdle.

Another object is to provide a girdle in which the stiiening meanscomprises a plurality of cord reinforced rubber impregnated textilestiifening members of varying length arranged to extend downwardly fromthe upper edge of the girdle in spaced relation to each other.

Other objects, advantages and characteristic features of the inventionwill be more readily understood from the following detailed descriptionof the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Fig. 1 is a front view of my improved girdle.

Fig. 2 is a rear view.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view as it appears with the binding strip removed.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

As illustrated in the drawings the invention comprises a plurality ofrelatively narrow, vertically extending stiening members 5 which aresewn directly to the inside of a waistband 2 of girdle 6 having a bodyportion 3 so that each stiiening member extends downwardly a rela-Atively short distance from the extreme upper edge of the waistband 2 ofthe girdle. Each stiffening member is made of rubber impregnated textilefabric and includes a plurality of vertically extending textilestiffening cords 5a which form projecting ribs on the inwardly facingbody engaging surfaces of the stifiening members while leaving theoutwardly facing or gridle engaging surfaces of the stiiening memberssubstantially smooth and flat. The stiiening members 5 vary in lengthand preferably include two members of maximum length, each attached toone side portion of the waistband of the girdle; a pair of members ofintermediate length attached to each of the front and back portions ofthe waistband of the girdle, the members of each of said pairs beinglocated at opposite sides of and at some distance from the verticalcentre line of the girdle; and a single member of minimum length whichis attached to the front portionV of the waistband of the girdle and iscentered with reference to said vertical centre line. Except as regardsthe relative spacing of the two stiffening members secured to the backportion of the waistband of the girdle it is desirable that the distancebetween each two adjacent stiffening members should vbe substantiallygreater than the width ol.V the individual widths of said members butsubstantially less than the combined widths of any two of said members.In the case of stiff-- ening members secured to the back portion of thewaistband of the girdle the distance between these two members may besubstantially greater than that Ipreviously speciiied. The stiffeningmembers are preferably impregnated and/or coated with rubber in the formof latex. This treatment of the stifening members has several definiteadvantages. It prevents ravelling of the stiffening members and givesthem a certain amount of stiffness and elasticity or springiness whichthey would not otherwise possess and without seriously impairing theirflexibility. In other words, the rubber incorporated in the stiffeningmembers enhances their capacity or ability to spring back to thestraight or normal condition after these members have been subjected to1ongitudinal curving or bending by bending movements of the wearer ofthe girdle. While I prefer to use rubber or latex for impregnating thestiff- -`r ening members to prevent unravelling and to increase thespringiness of said members, it will be understood that I alsocontemplate'the impregnation of said members with any other compoundcapable of giving the same results.

If all of the stiifening members were of the same length there would bea tendency for these members to produce a definite fold line extendingentirely around the garment at the lower ends of said members. This isavoided according to the present linvention by making the members ofvarying length and by spacing said members around the garment ashereinbefore described.

The stiiening members provided in accordance with this invention, beingmade of textile material, do not have the same tendency to tear awayfrom or to tear through the material of the girdle as conventionalstiiiening members made of metal or whale bone. They are also moreexible and elastic in the transverse direction thereof compared withsaid conventional stiffening members. K

The stiflening members are preferably provided with fiat upper endswhich lie flush with the upper edge of the waistband of the girdle andwhich are preferably covered by a suitable binding strip 1.

Having thus described what I now consider to be the preferred embodimentof this invention it will be understood that various modications may beresorted to within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: f

1. A girdle; comprising a body portion for covering the body ofthewearer belowthe waistline and a waistband portion extending upwardlyfrom the upper edge of the body portion, a plu-4 of varying lengthsecured to the inner body-con-v extending downwardly adjacent thewaistline of the girdle, a pair of stiiening members of intermediatelength attached to each of the front and back inner portions of thewaistband, and a front stiening member of minimum length secured to theinner surface of the waistband intermediate the front pair of stiffeningmembers of intermediate length.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which the spacing of the stiieningmembers, with the exception of the spacing of the pair of stiieningmembers secured to the back inner portion of the waistgband, is suchthat the distance between adjacent rality of spaced stretchablestiifenmg members ing member of maximum length attachedrto each of theinner side portions of the waistband and stiiening members is greaterthan the individual width of a member but less than the combined ywidthsof two of said members, the spacing of

